Would you put a microchip in your dog? British dog owners may be forced to microchip their pets and take out insurance, part of a proposed crackdown on the country's dangerous canines.

The government's proposals are aimed at tackling the growing problem of aggressive canines being used to harass people. In a country where guns are tightly controlled and even carrying a kitchen knife can result in a prison sentence, animal rights experts and politicians say street thugs have turned to dangerous-looking dogs to threaten their victims.

Home Office Secretary Alan Johnson said there was "no doubt that some people breed and keep dogs for the sole purpose of intimidating others."

His proposals were largely welcomed by animal welfare groups, including the British SPCA, which said it had long supported chipping — primarily as a means of reuniting lost pets with their owners. The devices are described as "tiny microchips, about the size of a grain of rice, painlessly inserted into the back of the dog."

The chips are easily readable by scanners used by dog wardens and veterinarians.

A host of European countries — including Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Italy and Portugal — have introduced mandatory microchipping rules in the past few years, with nary a raised eyebrow. France requires that some breeds either be chipped or tattooed. Even in countries where the practice isn't required, cities such as Berlin and Prague demand that dog owners chip their pets.

- Posted on March 10, 2010